By Patty Kreamer
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You started your own business because you have a burning passion for what you do. You are also, we hope, good at what you do and have a desire to help others. Little did you know that running a business includes, well, running a business. This little bombshell can throw many a new business owner for a loop.

Not to scare a potential entrepreneur away, but you must realize that it's not all fun and games doing what you do best. Just a few steps when starting a business are:

• Find an accountant
• Buy insurance
• Get legal advice on how to set up the business
• File for the company name with the state
• Find working capital, if necessary
• File all the proper tax forms
• Open up a checking account
• Get office supplies
• Market the business
• Build a network

And the list goes on and on.

In the initial start-up stage, entrepreneurs are often so excited about starting a business that they pay little or no attention to what is happening with all the paperwork and electronic data you are generating. That is typical and expected. However, around the six- to twelve-month mark, entrepreneurs start calling people like me, a professional organizer, for help in setting up a system to be organized. I envision a hand protruding from mounds of papers reaching for help.

The sad news is that many small businesses have never taken the time to set up systems once they've built up paper and electronic backlogs. They just keep generating documents without stopping to assess what is being created.

I firmly believe that the healthiest small business is the one that visits and reviews its organizational systems every six to twelve months. The small business that keeps doing the "same old, same old" is losing money. So where do you stand?

The problem for many is that you don't GET organized and have long-lasting success. You have to BE organized. Getting organized is a quick fix of cleaning up and putting things away, which is a Band-aid approach that doesn't last for more than a few days or weeks.

Being organized is recognizing that organization is an ongoing journey. Life doesn't stop happening the minute you get organized. You must have systems in place that will help the daily flow; a lack of systems will cause clogs. These clogs come in many forms:

• Piles of papers
• Lost documents
• Misplaced items: glasses, phone, pens, keys and so on
• Running late
• Stress and frustration

You get the picture. When it becomes clear to you that you are running through your day feeling like you've accomplished nothing, you may need to reassess your organizational skills and systems.

Your small business must overcome many hurdles to be successful. Fortunately, being organized is one hurdle that you can learn to overcome. Or you can work with a professional organizer to set up customized systems that make you functional, productive and more pleasant to be around.

I challenge you take a deep look at the state of your small business' organization. If you see your passion being overrun by disorganization, it's time to take some action. Here's to simplifying your life!

Patty Kreamer, owner of Kreamer Connect, Inc., is a professional organizer, speaker and author. For more information, please contact Kreamer at Patty @ ByeByeClutter.com or 412-344-3252. Her Web site is www.byebyeclutter.com.